


String Lights

by brina452



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 13:59:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13055406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brina452/pseuds/brina452
Summary: Nyx always knows what to expect when he comes home to Noctis. At least hethoughthe did.Noctis has fun with some lights.





	String Lights

**Author's Note:**

> For the winter themed day of Hellion Holidays and the decorating for the season prompt. Also my first work ever posted here! (i actually fricked up and needed to repost this from yesterday. go me~)
> 
> Bear with me? I'm still trying to get a grasp on writing these two and I can't remember the last time I wrote fic. I'm mostly testing the waters with this, but I really wanted to contribute to this little pairing even if it's short. So many people here have inspired me with their creativity and work! So here goes nothing~

At this point in their relationship, it’s not abnormal for Nyx to come home and find Noctis already there. If he’s not watching TV, then he’s usually playing games on his phone or trying to focus on some report he needs to look over. Nyx’s personal favorite is when he comes home and finds Noctis lying in bed pretending he didn’t just rouse from a nap. Typical, normal Noct things. The most abnormal thing Nyx ever came home to was the time he found Noctis poking around in the kitchen for a pot.

“I’m not hopeless, asshole. I know how to boil an egg,” the prince had said after Nyx did an overexaggerated double take to tease him. Granted, Noctis ended up overcooking the egg but Nyx isn’t allowed to mention that ever again.

Noctis never stops by without telling Nyx prior. The few times Nyx came home surprised at the company were times he was stuck with late night guard duty. Times where Noctis was too caught up in his own head. Times where he was drowning in crippling thoughts and anxiety that made it hard for him to sleep. Otherwise, Nyx is never surprised and always knows what to expect.

At least he _thought_ he did.

“Um, Noct?”

Noctis looks up at him from his spot on the floor with all the clueless innocence of a child. He’s sat in the center of Nyx’s apartment, legs bunched to his chest, phone in hand. Typical, normal Noct things. Except for the mess of glittering white lights he’s tangled in.

 _Wait_ , Nyx quickly realizes it’s not a mess of lights per se. It’s a deliberate mess. One string drapes over his shoulders, wrapping neat around his arms all the way down to his wrists. More are around his torso and legs, from his knees to his ankles till the rest piles at his feet. Not the oddest thing. Yet, also one of the last things he expects to come home to. Nyx closes the door behind him and tilts his head. A brow arches as he waits for an explanation, but he can’t help grinning at his—quite literally—shining prince.

“Hi.” Noctis cracks a sheepish smile. The glow of lights isn’t enough to hide the subtle blush in his cheeks.

“Hi. Watcha doing there?”

“You know… just hanging out.”

“Uh-huh,” Nyx nods, “and the lights?”

“It looked like it’d make a good aesthetic shot.” Noctis looks down to his socks and curls his toes among the clutter of lights. Nyx notices the camera open on his phone. “Thought about sending it to Prompto.”

Nyx recalls that the socks themselves happened to be a gift from Prompto. Black with red at the heel and toes. Adorned with snowflakes around the head of a cartoon Chocobo that wears a holiday scarf.

“You wrapped more than half of your body in lights for an aesthetically pleasing picture of your socks?”

“Yep.”

Nyx chuckles and shrugs off the coat of his uniform to toss it onto the couch, stepping around Noctis to sit next to him. “Alright then. Don’t let me stop you from honing your photography skills.”

“I have none.” Noctis readies his phone and hunches over his knees again.

Nyx leans in close to rest his head on Noct’s shoulders, watching him fiddle with camera for the perfect focus. “Don’t be modest. You’re taking this shot so seriously. Prompto would be proud of you.”

Noctis laughs as he takes the photo and prods an elbow into Nyx’s side. “Shut up.”

“You never fully answered my question, by the way. Pictures and aesthetic aside, what’s with the lights?”

Noctis sets his phone down and rests his head against Nyx’s. “Just extras from my place. I put them up every winter. My dad used to help me with it when I was a kid. When he couldn’t anymore, Iggy or Gladio did… but, um, I was putting them up earlier and I thought they’d look nice in here.”

Nyx lifts his head to look over the lights again. The warm, flickering glow reminds him a little of home. Selena was always eager to decorate around the winter holidays and he was the one she pestered about putting up lights. He remembers her mentioning every year she loved how cozy they made their home feel. Though, Nyx never expected to feel a similar coziness again once he left Galahd. Certainly not around this time of year.

Nyx pinches at one of the small bulbs from Noct’s arm with a thoughtful hum. “They do add a nice touch to the place.”

“I know you never really decorate for any holidays, but-”

“First time for everything, right?”

There’s uncertainty in the Prince’s eyes when they meet his own. Nyx has seen it so many times before. He knows it means Noctis is regretting bringing the idea up. Fearing it was stupid or pointless to in the first place. So, Nyx smiles to reassure him it isn't, bright and warm as the lights Noctis wrapped himself in. True, he never bothered to decorate for anything in all his years residing in Insomnia. Not even when it was his turn to host the small holiday get togethers for the glaives. It’s not that he minds the idea or purposely abstains from it.

In truth, Nyx never gets around to it because no one pushes him to anymore. Selena isn’t here to urge him about lights. His mother isn’t here to ask him to pull out handmade, Galahdian styled wreaths from the top shelf of a small storage closet. Libertus and Crowe haven’t waged their classic tinsel war in years. Decorating for the holidays just didn’t hold any significance. Not in the city that would toss him out if he wasn’t such a key asset to its peace.

This time it feels different, though. This time there’s Noctis. Noctis, who Nyx has surrendered his hear to in the past year they’ve been together. Noctis, who’s somehow made this less-than-mediocre apartment feel like their own little haven. Noctis, who’s now the next person in Nyx’s life to make something as simple as decorating significant. There’s no reason not to. Especially since Noctis fucking wrapped himself in string lights for aesthetic.

Noctis averts his eyes down to his lap and tries to hide an embarrassed smile. “I should’ve asked before I brought these over. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Nyx rolls his eyes and traps Noctis in his arms, getting a yelp out of him as he pulls them both down to the floor. Nyx lies flat on his back, squeezing Noctis close to his chest while he kisses the side of his head.

“Babe.” he runs his hands down Noct’s sides to mess with the tiny light bulbs. “I can’t get these lights up if you don’t stop _wearing them_.”

Noctis bites back a fit of giggles under Nyx’s wandering hands, reaching to grab them. “In my defense…” he tilts his head against Nyx’s chest and looks up at him, “you were never supposed to see me like this.”

“Add more lights and I won’t. You’ll blind me.”

Noctis wriggles in Nyx’s hold, maneuvering onto his stomach to properly face him. That sight right there, the twinkle in the Prince’s eyes framed by the shadow of his bangs. The slow curve of his lips highlighted by the glow between them. Nyx swears that could blind him, too.

“Do you think… while we put these up you could tell me what the winter holidays are like back in Galahd? I liked hearing all those stories about the fall traditions. The festivals, the bonfires… and _gods_ the food at the markets! And-” He blushes as soon as he notices Nyx’s amused smirk and hides his face in the glaive’s chest, peeking at him with one eye. “Sorry. I-”

Nyx shakes his head and brushes a thumb along Noct’s illuminated cheek. “Don’t be. I’m chalk full of stories for you.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Never.” He gives Noct’s back a pat and starts to sit up. “Come on. As much as I like this new look of yours, we need these. Then I’ll _enlighten_ you all on my own.”

Noctis snorts at the pun and starts slipping off the lights around his shoulders.

And for the rest of the night, they talk. Nyx does most of it at first while Noctis listens and asks him questions about Galahd. Once the lights are up, Nyx drags his prince into a dopey, clumsy slow dance with nothing but the hum of his voice. It’s for no real reason other than how gorgeous he claims Noctis looks beneath the tinge of lights around them.

Later, they warm themselves from the drafty chill of the apartment with steaming mugs cocoa. The night ends with Noctis curling close to his glaive’s side in bed.

“Thank you,” Nyx whispers to him, placing a tender kiss to his forehead as he pulls a blanket over them both. _Thank you for making this place feel a little homier. Thank you for coming into my life. I love you. Gods, I love you so much._

He gets nothing but a sleepy hum in response, but Nyx still smiles like a lovesick idiot.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted this to be longer and actually go into detail about winter/holidays in Galahd, but it hasn't even been a week since I finished a very trying school semester. This started with nothing but "omg Noct wrapping himself in string lights" and from there I kinda winged it. Soo.. I hope this is okay? I'm shooting for better next time regardless! Thank you so much for reading!! :)


End file.
